Science Research Reporter, 3(2):208-209, Oct. 2013 ISSN: 2249-2321 (Print)

Short Note: Additions to the seaweed flora of Muttom coastal waters, southwest coast of India

C Domettila and S Jeeva

Department of Botany, Scott Christian College (Autonomous), Nagercoil - 629 003, Kanyakumari, [email protected]

Abstract During our field survey, 92 taxa were collected from the Muttom coastal waters of southwest coast of India. Specimens were brought to laboratory and processed for herbarium specimens with standard procedure and identified by using pertinent literature. After critical investigations, authors found that 52 taxa are not earlier reported from the region. So present paper deals new records of 54 taxa with its correct and updated citation and the seaweed flora of Muttom coast now consists of 92 taxa belonginging to 42 genera and 28 families.

Key words: Additional taxa, Muttom coast, Seaweeds, Southwest coast.

Southwest coast of Kanyakumari district is one of coast. Domettila et al. (2013) provided an the most botanized areas of southern India in annotated checklist of 38 taxa belonging to 3 phyla terms of diversity and distribution of seaweeds (, Ochrophyta and Rhodophyta), 4 (Domettila and Jeeva, 2013). Such seaweeds are classes (Bryopsidaceae, Florideophyceae, mainly distributed in the intertidal rocks of Phaeophyceae and ), 23 genera and Muttom, Kadiapattinam, Manavalakurichi, Colachel 18 families. Perusal of these literatures reveals that and Kurumpanai of southwest coast. Of these sites, many species of seaweeds of these coasts neither Muttom sports a beautiful and tidy beach with collected nor preserved as herbarium specimens. rocky shores showing an astonishing biodiversity. As a continuation of such explorations during our Huge rocks standing at either sides of the beach field survey, 54 additional taxa were collected from give it a pristine look. However, in recent days the coast (Table 1). The seaweed flora of Muttom anthropogenic factors causes the deterioration of coast now consists of 92 taxa belonginging to 42 this pristine habitat. For implementing any genera and 28 families. conservation measures it is utmost important to The authors are thankful to Dr. P. Charles, document the biodiversity of the area. In view of Head, Department of Botany, Scott Christian this coast the present study was conducted to College (Autonomous), Nagercoil for providing inventory the seaweed flora of Muttom coastal necessary facilities and encouragement. Authors waters of southwest coast of India. are also thankful to the Director, Krishnamurthy Kaliaperumal and Pandian (1984) Institute of Algology, Chennai for providing inventoried 25 taxa of seaweeds from Muttom herbarium consultation and library facilities.

LITERATUE CITED Domettila C and Jeeva S, 2013. Gracilaria idinthakaraiensis in Rasthacaud coastal water, Kanyakumari district, Tamilnadu, India: a rediscovery. Sci. Res. Rep., 3(1): 01-03. Domettila C, Brintha TSS, Sukumaran S and Jeeva S, 2013. Diversity and distribution of seaweeds in the Muttom coastal waters, south-west coast of India. Biodiversity J., 4(1): 105-110. Kaliaperumal N and Pandian G, 1984. Marine algal flora from some localities of south Tamilnadu coast. J. Mar. Biol. Ass. India, 26: 159-164.

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Domettila and S. Jeeva Table 1. List of additional seaweed taxa collected from Muttom coast with their binomial, class and family.

Botanical name Phylum Order Class Family Acanthophora spicifera (M.Vahl) Borgesen Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Rhodomelaceae Acetabularia caliculus J.V. Lamouroux Chlorophyya Dasycladales Ulvophyceae Polyphyceae Ahnfeltia plicata (Hudson) E.M.Fries Rhodophyta Ahnfeltiales Florideophyceae Ahnfeltiaceae Ahnfeltiopsis densus Greville Rhodophyta Ahnfeltiales Florideophyceae Ahnfeltiaceae Amphiroa foliacea J.V.Lamouroux Rhodophyta Corallinales Florideophyceae Corallinaceae Botryocladia leptopoda (J.Agardh) Kylin Rhodophyta Rhodymeniales Florideophyceae Rhodymeniaceae Bryopsis plumosa (Hudson) C.Agardh Chlorophyta Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae clavifera (Forsskal) J.Agardh Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa crassifolia Sonder ex Kutzing Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa cupressoides (West) C.Agardh Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa dichotoma Svedelius Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa fastigiata Montagne Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa fergusonii G.Murray Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa latevirens J.V.Lamouroux Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa parvula Svedelius Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa sedoides C.Agardh Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa sertularioides (S.G.Gmelin) m.A.Howe Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Caulerpa taxifolia (M.Vahl) C.Agardh Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Chaetomorpha aerea (Dillwyn) Kutzing Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Chaetomorpha linum (O.F. Muller) Kutzing Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Chaetomorpha litorea Harvey Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Chaetomorpha media (Bory de Saint- Vincent) Kutzing Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Chaetomorpha vieillardii (Kutzing) M.J.Wynne Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Bryopsidaceae Champia compressa Harvey Rhodophyta Rhodymeniales Florideophyceae Champiaceae Chnoospora fastigiata J.Agardh Ochrophyta Scytosiphonales Phaeophyceae Scytosiphonaceae decorticatum (Woodward) M.A.Howe Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Codium dwarkense Borgesen Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Codiaceae Colpomenia sinuosa (Mertens ex Roth) Derbes & Solier Ochrophyta Scytosiphonales Phaeophyceae Scytosiphonaceae Cystoseira trinodis (Forsskal) C.Agardh Ochrophyta Fucales Phaeophyceae Scytosiphonaceae Dictyota dichotoma var. intricata (C.Agardh) Greville Ochrophyta Dictyotales Phaeophyceae Dictyotaceae Dictyota implexa J.V.Lamouroux Ochrophyta Dictyotales Phaeophyceae Dictyotaceae Enteromorpha compressa Linnaeus Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Ulvophyceae Ulvaceae Gelidiella acerosa ( Forsskal) Feldmann & G.Hamel Rhodophyta Gelidiales Florideophyceae Gelidiaceae Gracilaria corticata var.corticata (J.Ag) J.Ag. Rhodophyta Gracilariales Florideophyceae Gracilariaceae Gracilaria corticata var.cylindrica Umamaheswara Rao Rhodophyta Gracilariales Florideophyceae Gracilariaceae Halimeda opuntia (Linnaeus) J.V.Lamouroux Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Halimedaceae Halimeda tuna (J.Ellis &Solander) J.V.Lamouroux Chlorophyta Bryopsidales Bryopsidophyceae Halimedaceae Halopeltis sonderi (J.Agardh) G.W.Saunders Rhodophyta Rhodymeniales Florideophyceae Rhodymeniaceae Helminthocladia calvadosii (J.V.Lamouroux ) ex Duby Rhodophyta Nemaliales Florideophyceae Liagoraceae Jania rubens (Linnaeus) J.V.Lamouroux Rhodophyta Corallinales Florideophyceae Corallinaceae Laurencia parvula Borgesen Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Rhodomelaceae Padina commersonii Thivy Ochrophyta Dictyotales Phaeophyceae Dictyotaceae Padina distromatica Hauck Ochrophyta Dictyotales Phaeophyceae Dictyotaceae Palisada perforata (Bory de Saint-Vincent) K.W.Nam Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Rhodomelaceae Polysiphonia subtilissima Montagne Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Rhodomelaceae Polysiphonia variegata (C.Agardh) Zanardini Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Rhodomelaceae Scinaia fascicularis (Borgesen) Huisman Rhodophyta Nemaliales Florideophyceae Scinaiaceae Scinaia furcellata (Turner) J.Agardh Rhodophyta Nemaliales Florideophyceae Scinaiaceae Scinaia hatei Borgesen Rhodophyta Nemaliales Florideophyceae Scinaiaceae Spyridia filamentosa (Wulfen) Harvey Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Spyridiaceae Spyridia hypnoides (Bory de Saint-Vincent) Papenfuss Rhodophyta Ceramiales Florideophyceae Spyridiaceae Syringoduim isoetifolium (Ascher) Dandys. Tracheophyta Alismatales Magnoliidae Potamogetonaceae Thalassia hemprichii (Ehrenberg) Ascherson Tracheophyta Alismatales Magnoliidae Potamogetonaceae Halodule pinifolia (Miki) Hartog Tracheophyta Alismatales Magnoliidae Potamogetonaceae

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